Massey University, Albany Campus, Dairy Flat Highway (SH17), Auckland, 0632, New Zealand.
Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
Can J Public Health. 2020 Dec;111(6):1002-1010. doi: 10.17269/s41997-020-00317-2. Epub 2020 Jun 5.
Building evaluation capacity for chronic disease prevention (CDP) is a critical step in ensuring the effectiveness of CDP programming over time. In this article, we highlight the findings of the qualitative arm of a mixed-methods needs assessment designed to assess the gaps and areas of strength within Ontario's public health system with respect to CDP evaluation.
We conducted 29 interviews and focus groups with representatives from 25 public health units (PHUs) and analyzed the data using thematic analysis. We sought to understand what gaps and challenges exist in the Ontario public health system around CDP evaluation.
Challenges facing Ontario's PHUs in CDP evaluation include variation and centralization of capacity to evaluate, as well as competing priorities limiting the development of evaluative thinking. Participating PHUs identified the need for evaluation capacity building (ECB) strategies grounded in an understanding of the unique contexts in which they work and a desire for guidance in conducting a complex and thoughtful evaluation. Moving forward, PHUs noted a desire for a strong system of knowledge sharing and consultation across the public health system, including through strengthening existing partnerships with community collaborators.
These results support the case for ECB strategies that are adaptive and context-sensitive and equip PHUs with the skills required to evaluate complex CDP programming.
建立慢性病预防（CDP）的评估能力是确保 CDP 规划随着时间的推移有效性的关键步骤。在本文中，我们强调了混合方法需求评估的定性部分的结果，该评估旨在评估安大略省公共卫生系统在 CDP 评估方面的差距和优势领域。
我们对 25 个公共卫生单位（PHU）的代表进行了 29 次访谈和焦点小组，并使用主题分析对数据进行了分析。我们试图了解安大略省公共卫生系统在 CDP 评估方面存在哪些差距和挑战。
安大略省 PHU 在 CDP 评估方面面临的挑战包括评估能力的差异和集中化，以及竞争的优先事项限制了评估思维的发展。参与的 PHU 确定需要建立基于对其工作独特背景的理解和对进行复杂和深思熟虑的评估的指导的评估能力建设（ECB）策略。展望未来，PHU 指出希望在整个公共卫生系统中建立一个强大的知识共享和咨询系统，包括通过加强与社区合作者的现有伙伴关系。
这些结果支持适应性和情境敏感的 ECB 策略的情况，并为 PHU 提供了评估复杂 CDP 规划所需的技能。
